Stephanie Drietz is a wife, a mother of three boys, a freelance graphic designer, and a faithdriven business owner of 14 years.
“When I started my freelance graphic design business 14 years ago, my oldest child was six months old. I create memorable designs for a large variety of businesses from big to small. I specialize in print design—I created many logos, publications, annual reports, posters, brochures, and anything else a business wants to create to promote their brand.”
Q: What are you trying to achieve with your company?
A: I want a business that I can run to support my family, allows for flexibility, and gives me a variety of work on any given day.
Q: How did your company come to be?
A: I was laid off at my job and decided to give a run at my own business. 14 years later, I have been blessed to continue doing so.
Q: Why did you join the Dakota Business Lending cohort?
A: So I could step away from my home from time to time to have a workspace of my own.
Q: What has your experience been like with the cohort so far?
A: Not only have I had the space to work, but have been able to work with others on goal-setting, problem-solving, and networking. It has been a large asset to my long-running company I never knew I needed.
Q: What is the five-year plan for your business?
A: All of my children will be in school this fall, so it will be time to revisit what I have going for me and see how I want to grow now that I will have some more time in the day to do so. I hope to continue to hold the flexibility I do now and continue to find those long-term clients that keep me going.
Q: Can you describe a challenge your company has faced, and how you overcame it?
A: Probably figuring out the best way to estimate clients and what to charge. Times have obviously changed so much in the last decade, so keeping up with that, what my work is worth and what time it will take me to do it. Q: What trends in your industry are you most excited about or concerned by? A: AI is always a concern hovering over my head, but is also a helpful tool. Just in hopes that clients will continue to want that human creativity behind their marketing materials—with some help from AI.
Q: How do you measure success in your role and for your company?
A: The ability to continue to run my business and have all the time for my family.
Q: What has been the most rewarding part of running your business?
A: There will be lots of ebbs and flows. I have learned even when the roller coaster is going down, and I may lose hope, it has always made its way back up! Just be prepared on how you handle each side of it. Patience, dedication, and hard work.
drietzdesigns.com
Facebook | /DrietzDesigns
Instagram | @drietzdesigns
